Vivo V15 Pro vs. Vivo V15: the differences in price, specs, features and more

Vivo V15 Pro vs. Vivo V15: here’s how the two smartphones differ in price, specs, features and more.

Chinese smartphone brand Vivo (the one behind one of last year’s most talked about smartphones, the Vivo NEX) is out with two new smartphones: the Vivo V15 (released in Thailand) and the Vivo V15 Pro (which went on sale in India earlier this week). The two phones are very similar when it comes to design and display: both feature the company’s signature pop-up front cameras and come with expansive notch-less displays. On the inside, however, there are quite a few differences: you can think of the Vivo V15 as a downplayed and cheaper version and of the Vivo V15 Pro.

In this review, we take a look at both phones side by side and explore their main similarities and differences.

Specs
Before the detailed comparison, let’s take a look at the main specs of the two smartphones.

Product name

Vivo V15 Pro

Vivo V15

Dimensions

157.25mm×74.71mm×8.21mm

161.97×75.93×8.54mm

Weight

185g

189.5g

Display

6.39-inch,2340×1080 pixles

6.53-inch,2340×1080 pixles

OS

Funtouch OS 9 (based on Android 9.0)

CPU

Qualcomm Snapdragon 675AIE Octa-core

MediaTek Helio P70

Memory

6GB + 128GB

Expanded memory

Supports microSD Card up to 256GB

Battery capacity

3700mAh

4000mAh

Bluetooth version

Bluetooth 5.0

Bluetooth 4.2

Front camera

32MP

Rear cameras

48MP + 8MP + 5MP

12MP + 8MP + 5MP

Notch-less displays with pop-up selfie cams
The Vivo V15 and V15 Pro come with basically the same design: you get a notch-less display on the front, a glossy finish on the back and dual tone gradient color. A black strip on the back of the phone houses the rear camera module and works as an interesting design element.

Both phones feature the same Ultra Full View AMOLED display with 2340×1080 resolution. The notch-less display is one of the key highlights of both smartphones. This is achieved by placing the front camera onto a moving part that is hidden inside the phone until the moment you need to take a selfie. The front cam will then slide out from the top of the phone and go back in once its job is done, which adopts the same pop up camera solution as the Vivo NEX. This is a nice solution to the idea of a full-screen media experience — but we still have concerns regarding the durability of the moving mechanism.

There are 2 main differences between the two phones in design. The first difference is the screen size. The Vivo V15 has a 6.53-inch screen, which is a little larger than that of the 6.39-inch on the Vivo V15 Pro.

The second difference is the V15 Pro’s back is clean while the back panel on the V15 houses a fingerprint sensor. In the case of the V15 Pro, the fingerprint sensor is hidden underneath the display. There is a 3.5mm headphone jack on both phones — which is a a nice option to have given that a lot of Chinese manufacturers have opted to go with the iPhone-inspired trend of a single USB Type-C port.

MediaTek Helio P70 vs. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 675
The basic version of the Vivo V15 runs on the MediaTek Helio P70 processor paired with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The Vivo V15 Pro offers the same RAM and ROM setup but comes with a stronger processor — the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 675.

Some other things that both devices have in common include the support of two nano SIM cards, VoLTE 4G network coverage, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. With both smartphones, you get to use Vivo’s dedicated AI assistant called Jovi. The Vivo V15 Pro version also adds Google Assistant to the mix.

In terms of phone’s battery, the Vivo V15 Pro is powered by a 3700mAh battery, while the Vivo V15 is powered by a 4000mAh battery. So the Vivo V15 will serve you for longer time.

48MP triple cam vs. 12MP triple cam
Here’s where we find more differences between the two phones. The Vivo V15 Pro sports an impressive triple camera on the back with a 48MP primary sensor, a 5MP depth sensor and an 8MP super wide sensor. The company has also promised that the camera’s AI algorithms have been improved and you will get to enjoy popular quick edit options like AI Body Shaping and tools like AI Portrait Lighting. The rear cam promises good low light performance thanks to its ability to combine four pixels during low light scenarios.

The basic version of the Vivo V15 also sports a triple rear cam — but with much more modest specs. It gets a 12MP primary sensor, an 8MP secondary super wide-angle camera along and a 5MP depth sensor.

Both smartphones feature a 32MP selfie camera that is hidden in a small pop-up panel that will come up every time you need to snap a pic — it takes 46 seconds for the camera to pop all the way up.

The verdict
Summing it all up, there are three key differences of note between the Vivo V15 Pro and the Vivo V15:
● The Vivo V15 runs MediaTek’s Helio P70 processor while the V15 Pro runs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 675 SoC.
● The V15 Pro sports a 48MP primary sensor on its rear triple cameran while the V15 opts for the more modest 12MP primary sensor.
● The V15 Pro sports an in-display fingerprint sensor while the V15 goes for a more traditional approach with its fingerprint sensor located on the back panel.

The Vivo V15 is currently available in Thailand for about $340 while the Vivo V15 Pro was released in India with the price tag of just over $400. Our first instinct would be to go with the Pro version for the fancier cameras and the stronger processor. However, the Vivo V15 seems to be a very interesting budget option to consider that gives you the ability to explore a full screen design for a rather modest price tag.

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